Electric weld timer and method



June 29, 1937. D. v. EDWARDS 2,085,696

ELECTRIC WELD TIMER AND METHOD Filed Nov. 22, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2

INVENTOR- ATTORN EYS June 29, 1937. D. v. EDWARDS 2,085,696

' ELECTRIC WELD TIMER AND METHOD Filed Nov. 22, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C) b3 i I I U (D E R INVENTOR- flma M BY EW 3, m.

ATTORN EYS Patented June 29, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Donald V. Edwards, Montclair, N. J., assignor to Electrons, Inc. of Delaware, a. corporation of Delaware Application November 22, 1933,, Serial No. 699,118

' 13 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus and circuits for controlling the quantity of electrical energy supplied to current consuming devices, such as electric welding machines, and particularly to timers for resistance-type welders.

The object of the invention is to control the application of a supply voltage to a load for short periods, preferably one cycle or less of the supply so as to make the voltage impulse fixed and uniform for each operation.

A further object is to provide a simple and inexpensive apparatus employing only one grid controlled rectifier tube per half-wave, to de-' liver such an impulse, or a desired quantity of electrical energy, at each operation of a control mechanism regardless of the human element in operating the said mechanism.

Among the features of the invention are: A phase shift of grid potential preparatory to the operative period to fix its starting point, and a storage or energy from the load current to prevent restarting; complete control from the alternating current power supply, no source of continuous current being required; and the use of only a few simple a *ziliary devices in a simple circuit. I

The invention will he described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a schematic illustration or? one em hodirnent of the invention applied to a spot welder, the circuit being adapted to pass a single half-cycle at each operation,

Fig. 2 shows a modified circuit adapted to pass one cycle at each operation, and Fig. 3 shows curves representing certain voltage relations during operation the circuit of In Figs. 1 and 2 like reference characters indicate like parts.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fg. i has a pair of terminals i for connection to a suitable alternating current source and a main or power circuit connected across these terminals, consisting of a grid controlled. rectifier or 'trigger tube 2 and a load such as the primary winding of a welding transformer which is preferably tapped. The rectifier 2 has the usual anode, control grid, and cathode, the anode being connected to one of the supply terminals i. The secondary winding of the step-down transformer 3 is adapted to supply Welding currents and is connected to welding electrodes 6, one of which is movable by the lever 5 and rod "6. This rod operates two electrical contactors' such as in- 55 sulated metallic sleeves t each adapted to open and close a circuit through pairs of contacts 8 and 9, respectively. An auxiliary transformer has its primary winding ll connected across the terminals l and one secondary Winding it of this transformer provides heating current for the 5 cathode of rectifier 2. Another secondary Winding l4 furnishes an alternating potential for the grid of the rectifier. This winding is part of a closed circuit through a condenser l5 and a resistance It, the point common to this condenser and resistance being connected through a grid resistor [3 to the grid of rectifier 2. The upper sleeve 6 on the rod 1 is adapted to short-circuit resistance l5 by shorting the contacts rshunt circuit across the primary winding of transformer 3 starts at point it between 2 end thereof and the cathode of rectifier thence through condenser it, rectifier cathode heating secondary 2i, and resistance 23 and the other end of the prim former 3. A point in this shunt ci condenser l8 and the anode of rec nected to the grid circuit of IE-iut ductor i'i, thereby providing a g condenser iii or through the c i nected thereto, when these contacts by the lower sleeve S.

fihe operation of the arrangement si e Fig. l is as follows: When there is pr lever 5 the electrodes t are held apai. spring iii and pairs of contacts 21d are icoth shorted. The upper contacts rehy cause the potential of Winding it to directly upon the grid resistor being such that this pct phase with the supply pot e1. potential is out-or"-phase potential of rectifier The er short-circuit the con .ser since of rectifier 2 is neg tive when its anode tive the rectifier will not pass any ciure is illustrated at the left of curve or supply potential and E of alternating grid potential fror. When the metal parts to be wel between the electrodes 3 and the 0. pressure upon lever 5, tthe pieces together with a pr adjusted by the spring W greater than the pressure ordii ther downward movement of b 1 contacts 9 thereby removing the short circi condenser it out since this con charge and there is no potent I tween points it) and the opening of contacts 9 has no immediate effect upon the circuit but merely prepares it for the opening of contacts 8 which are adjusted to open slightly later. The opening of contacts 8 causes the current of secondary coil M to pass through resistance l6 which was formerly short-circuited, this resistance and the condenser l5 being so related that the potential of their common point and also of the grid of rectifier 2 will be retarded approximately 30 in phase as shown at C in Fig. 3. This shift in phase does not, however, cause the rectifier 2 to start until the next time its anode becomes positive, as shown at D. At this point the curves show that the grid is positive for 30 electrical degrees after the supply potential reverses in the direction to make the anode posi tive and therefore causes rectifier 2 to become conductive only within this range. The current passes through the primary of transformer 3 which in turn induces a very heavy current in its secondary. The apparatus is arranged to provide energy at a suificiently high rate and sufficient current density through the spot to be welded so that the weld is completed by the single, half-cycle impulse thus started. This impulse is indicated in Fig. 3 by the shaded area under curve E which represents the voltage across the welding transformer primary. A very small portion of this impulse passes from point l9 through condenser l8 and its associated rectifier 20, the current being limited by the series resistance 22. Condenser i8 is thus charged to substantially the peak potential across transformer 3 and it is prevented from discharging by the rectifier 20. The voltage of condenser I8 is impressed between the grid and cathode of rectifier 2 and overcomes the peak positive potential of winding M in the next half-cycle. This is shown at F in Fig. 3. The grid thus remains negative for an indefinite time depending on the leakage of condenser l8 and the associated circuits.

It will be observed, therefore, that a portion of the first quarter-cycle of current through the welding transformer stores energy in condenser 18 and makes the grid of rectifier 2 negative after one impulse has passed so that it cannot pass another impulse until the initial conditions are restored. The total energy supplied for one movement of the lever 5 is thus limited to that which can pass through the power circuit during one positive half-cycle of anode supply. A tap on the primary is selected according to the parts to be welded so that this energy is sufficient to complete the weld.

As the operator releases lever 5 its upward movement first closescontacts 8, thereby returning the alternating potential from winding l4 to the out-of-phase relation to the supply potential A; then contacts 9 close, thereby dissipating the energy stored in condenser I8, and then the work is released from between the electrodes 4, thus putting the apparatus back to its initial condition for making another weld.

When it is desired to use more power than can be obtained conveniently in one half-cycle, the circuit of Fig. 2 may be used to supply a full cycle of current to the welding transformer. For this purpose a second rectifier 24 is connected to the supply in opposite sense to rectifier 2, that is, its cathode and the heater winding 25 are connected to the same supply terminal as the anode of rectifior 2 so that the current of rectifier 24 will pass through transformer 3 in the opposite direction. The anode of rectifier 24 is connected through th primary of transformer 3 to the other terminal of the supply. An additional secondary winding 26 on the auxiliary transformer supplies alterhating grid potential to rectifier 24 through a grid resistor l3, the other end of winding 26 being connected to a point 21 intermediate a choke 28 and a resistance 29, the choke and resistance being connected in series across the welding transformer primary. If desired a resistance may be used instead of choke 28 provided a condenser is used in place of resistance 29.

Otherwise the circuit of Fig. 2 is like that of Fig. 1 and its operation is as follows: If the gaseous rectifier 2 does not start, the similar rectifier 24 cannot start because the potential of winding 26 is made slightly greater than the anode potential of rectifier 24 and is arranged to have opposite polarity, thereby counteracting the potential of ,the supply which,'it will be observed, is included in the grid return circuit of rectifier 24. When there is or has been no current through rectifier 2, point 2! assumes the potential of point 23. When, however, the rectifier 2 delivers a half-cycle impulse, as above explained, a portion of the current passes through choke 28 and resistance 29, thereby making point 21 more positive. Because of the energy stored in choke 28 this effect continues after the current from rectifier 2 falls to zero and the supply potential reverses.

Point 21 thus remains positive for an instant and its potential, added to the supply potential (which is now making the anode of rectifier 24 positive) overcomes the negative potential of winding 26 and permits rectifier 24 to pass an impulse of current through the welding transformer. This current does not destroy the charge in condenser l8 nor charge it in the opposite direction because of the uni-directional characteristic of rectifier 20. Therefore, when the supply again reverses rectifier 2 will not pass current (its grid being maintained negative by the charge in condenser Hi), there will be no additional energy stored in inductance 28, and the negative potential of winding 26' will prevent rectifier 24 from starting. Thus only one cycle of energy is supplied by the circuit of Fig. 2 each time the lever 5 is operated, and the amount of energy supplied for each welding operation is at least double that supplied by the circuit of Fig. 1. The arrangement of Fig. 2

has an advantage in that the reversal ofcurrent through the welding transformer destroys the residual magnetism in the core and thereby causes a maximum change of flux.

I have found that better welds can be obtained by the above described method and apparatus because the energy. is supplied at a high rate' for a very short time, namely th or th of a second or less, and because the time is accurately controlled. It is thus possible .to join many metals which are otherwise diflicult or impossible to weld satisfactorily and it overcomes the difficulties previously experienced due to oxidation of the material around the weld, or other effects of heating adjoining parts not actually required to be heated for effecting the weld. The time of each weld is made uniform by the circuits disclosed because the control is such that the current can only start after the supply potential reverses in a direction to make the anode of the controlling rectifier'positive and within the range between approximately 15 electrical degrees thereafter, depending on the rectifier tube characteristic, and the 30 degree phase shift, regardless of the instant when the circuit was put in condition to pass current. The impulse is limited as the provisions of the circuit for gore? starting on the following cycle. The cost of grid controlled other special purpose tubes is a major M/Lin automatic weld timer, hence the systems described are economical in that they require 01 I one grid controlled tube for halr uave and t" such tubes for full-Wave operation, all or. i

are simple, reliable and readily (lbtalf cost.

A welding transformer for use core becomes nearly saturated, unless s cautions are taken to prevent it. a special iron for the core of the former whose residual point retu ""0 removed; an iron such as is coinn under the name of Svea has bee on o these requirements when properly anneal The invention and the circuits described heare not limited to welding operations employed to supply impulses of cu 1 determined duration for any apparatus a to use such impulses.

The embodiment of the invention as shor s described herein is for illustration onl understood that modifications may out departing from the spirit and invention.

I claim:

1. An electric timer comprising a trolled rectifier having an anode, a ca starting control grid, said rectifier to be energized froman alternating c and to deliver current impulses to for applying a Voltage to said grid venting starting of the rectifier, n e ing another voltage to said grid to only in the early part of the posit' cycles.

2. An impulse timing circuit compris controlled rectifier adapted to he ene' an alternating current source and therefor adapted to control the passing 1 t lasing cycle pulses to a load, another grid contr tifier connected to pass. opposite halflcycle es comprises energizing the main electrod to said load, said first rectifier having 1 rec Zorn alternat' g s storing a part of the energy passed by pre oi rectifier 1 uimpulse and applying voltage generated by ing potentl out of phase stored energy to the grid of the s ond rectifier, ano reveht its starting,

allowing it to pass current only in the haliycle the e e of id potential throng? immediately following the half-cycle during to start fies near the heel 39 which the first mentioned rectifier has passed a anode potenti l,

current, and means preventing restarting of said a pO bi 11 f the energy of the impuls first rectifier in the next cycle. Eva-Tad and away 3. An electric circuit including a gaseous disstored energy to the grid 50 as m mega charge tube having an anode, a cathodeand the Same am sucfieeding cyslea a sta; ting control grid, connections for energizing a The methgd 2m abtammg an a D a means for normally preventing the etartirr of a comm'lsef energlgl f 'i eleaf'mes 3 discharge in said tube means for applying an re-ctreire-in an alternating current source alternating voltage to the grid when a discharge pressing on the or said rectifier an alte. is desired, said voltage being approximately 159 P 9 de s Out of phase degrees leading relative to the phase of the anode anode pot it) Elf-Event Starting, S uib voltage, means for storing part of the energ the phase of said id potential through a st passed by said tube, and means for applyin a angle to start the rectifier near the heginmng oi? 7r a positive half-cycle of anode potential, storing a portion of the energy of the impulse thus delivered and applying a voltage generated by the stored energy to the grid so as to negatively bias the same during succeeding cycles, and thereafter shifting the phase of said grid potential back to the -degrec relation to the anode potential and dissipating said stored energy to put the rectifier in condition to pass another impulse.

9. An electric impulse timer comprising a grid-controlled rectifier adapted to be energized from an alternating current source and to deliver current impulses to a load, a grid circuit for said rectifier, a source of potential in said grid circuit which normally prevents starting of the rectifier, means for altering said potential to start the rectifier in the early part of a positive halfcycle of its anode potential, a condenser in said grid circuit connected to be charged by the impulse thus started and to prevent starting on the next and succeeding cycles, and means for controlling the discharge of said condenser.

10. In combination with a grid-controlled gaseous rectifier having a cathode and anode adapted to be energized from an alternating current source and to deliver current impulses to a load, a grid circuit for controllingthe starting of said rectifier, a condenser in said grid circuit connected to be charged by the initial impulse passed by the rectifier and to apply a negative potential to the grid, a rectifier connected to prevent discharge of said condenser on the next and suc- ,ceeding cycles of anode potential, and means for dissipating the charge of said condenser.

11. In combination with a grid-controlled gaseous rectifier having a cathode and anode adapted to be energized from an alternating current source and to deliver current impulses to a load, a grid circuit for controlling the starting of said rectifier, means connected in said grid circuit to store energy from the initial impulse passed by said rectifier and thereby apply a negative potential to the grid, means for retaining said energy and grid potential during the next and succeeding cycles of anode potential, and means for controlling the dissipation of said energy.

12. An electric circuit comprising a transformer, a grid-controlled rectifier in series therewith in its connection to an alternating current source to control the current in said transformer,

a control circuit for said rectifier including means for starting a discharge current in the rectifier at a predetermined point in the positive half-cycle of its anode potential, and means responsive to said discharge current for timing the duration thereof.

13. An electric circuit comprising a load and connections to an alternating current power supply, a gaseous rectifier in series in one of said connections for controlling the current supplied to said load, and a timing control circuit for said rectifier, said circuit comprising control contacts, means for starting a discharge in said rectifier at a predetermined point in the next positive half-cycle of said supply following operation of said contacts, and means responsive to a current initiated by said starting means for stopping said discharge a predetermined time after it is started and preventing further discharge while said contacts remain in operated position.

DONALD V. EDWARDS. 

